U.S. patent application number 11/995199 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-04 for airport viewing system for an aircraft.
This patent application is currently assigned to AIRBUS France. Invention is credited to Pierre Coldefy, Fabien Fetzmann, Thierry Malaval.
Application Number | 20080211692 11/995199 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36087634 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080211692 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fetzmann; Fabien ; et
al. |
September 4, 2008 |
Airport Viewing System For An Aircraft
Abstract
The invention concerns a system (1) comprising means (2) for
determining the current position of the aircraft, a display device
(4) displaying, on a viewing screen (7) an airport map, wherewith
is associated a symbol illustrating the current position of the
aircraft, an interface means (8) enabling the display of the
display device (4) to be operated by an operator, storage means
(10) storing a plurality of airport maps, means (12) for
determining a reference point for each airport, whereof the map is
stored in the storage means (10), and a selecting device (13) which
selects an airport map stored in the storage means (8) so as to
transmit same to the display device (4) so that it can be
displayed, and which comprises means (14) enabling an airport map
to be automatically selected, based on the current position of the
aircraft and as airport reference point.
Inventors: |
Fetzmann; Fabien; (Cugnaux,
FR) ; Coldefy; Pierre; (Toulouse, FR) ;
Malaval; Thierry; (Toulouse, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STEVENS DAVIS LLP
1615 L STREET NW, SUITE 850
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Assignee: |
AIRBUS France
TOULOUSE
FR
|
Family ID: |
36087634 |
Appl. No.: |
11/995199 |
Filed: |
July 13, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
July 13, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR2006/001713 |
371 Date: |
January 9, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/972 ;
701/409; 701/516 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C 21/00 20130101;
G08G 5/0021 20130101; G08G 5/065 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/972 ;
701/212 |
International
Class: |
G01C 21/20 20060101
G01C021/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 22, 2005 |
FR |
0507802 |
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. An airport viewing system which is installed in an aircraft,
said system (1) comprising: a first means (2) for determining the
current position of the aircraft; a memory (3) for recording at
least one airport map; a display device (4) which is able to
present, on at least one viewing screen (7), at least partially, an
airport map with which can be associated a symbol illustrating said
current position of the aircraft; an interface means (8) allowing
an operator to operate on the display used by said display device
(4); at least one storage means (10) able to store a plurality of
airport maps; and a selection device (13) making it possible to
select an airport map stored in said storage means (10) in order to
transmit it to said display device (4) so that it can display it,
said selection device (13) comprising at least automatic selection
means (14) making it possible to select automatically an airport
map to be displayed, according to at least the current position of
the aircraft, wherein it furthermore comprises a second means (12)
associated with said storage means (10) and making it possible to
determine a reference point for each airport whose map is stored in
said storage means (10), as well as a coverage volume which is
defined around said reference point, wherein said display device
(4) is produced in such a way as to be able to display a first type
of display mode, in which said symbol illustrating said current
position of the aircraft is fixed on the viewing screen (7) and
said airport map is mobile, and wherein said automatic selection
means (14) comprise a first element (16) which automatically
selects an airport map, according to the current position of the
aircraft and a coverage volume of an airport.
17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said first element
(16) of said automatic selection means (14) is produced in such a
way as to optimize said coverage volume, as a function of the
maximum scale of the display device (4) and of the proximity of the
airports.
18. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said display device
(4) is produced in such a way as to be able to display a display
mode of a second type, called plan mode, for which the aircraft map
is fixed on the viewing screen (7) and the symbol illustrating the
current position of the aircraft is mobile, and said automatic
selection means (14) comprise a second element (17) which
automatically selects an airport map, as a function of a current
distance between the current position of the aircraft and an
airport reference point, this current distance being compared with
at least one predetermined distance.
19. The system as claimed claim 18, wherein, when the aircraft has
left an origin airport, said second element (17): determines the
current distance between the current position of the aircraft and
the reference point of said origin airport; compares this current
distance with a first predetermined distance; and automatically
selects as an airport map: that of the origin airport, as long as
said current distance remains less than or equal to said first
distance; and that of a destination airport, as soon as said
current distance becomes greater than said first distance.
20. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein, when the aircraft
is approaching a destination airport, said second element (17):
determines the current distance between the current position of the
aircraft and the reference point of said destination airport;
compares this current distance with a second predetermined
distance; and automatically selects as an airport map: that of the
airport which is selected initially, as long as said current
distance remains greater than or equal to said second distance; and
that of said destination airport, as soon as said current distance
becomes less than said second distance.
21. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said selection
device (13) furthermore comprises manual selection means (18)
allowing an operator to select an airport map manually.
22. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein it furthermore
comprises means (20) for indication to an operator an inconsistency
when the latter selects, using said manual selection means (18) an
airport which is different from the destination airport which was
selected previously by said automatic selection means (14).
23. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said airport maps
are stored in said storage means (10) according to at least one
arranged list, and said manual selection means (18) comprise at
least a first element (22) allowing an operator, in order to make
the selection, to choose one of said airport maps in said arranged
list.
24. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said airport maps
which are stored in said storage means (10) are respectively
associated with particular descriptive features, and said manual
selection means (18) comprise at least a second element (23)
allowing an operator, in order to make the selection, to enter
alphanumeric characters making it possible to form one of said
descriptive features associated with said airport maps.
25. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said manual
selection means (18) are produced in such a way as to remain active
when said display device (4) displays a display mode of a first
type, for which the symbol illustrating said current position of
the aircraft is fixed on the viewing screen (7) and the airport map
is mobile.
26. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein it furthermore
comprises linking means (26) making it possible to connect said
system (1) to a flight management system (25) and said manual
selection means (18) comprise at least a third element (27) for
selecting and retrieving data relating to airports from said flight
management system (25).
27. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein it furthermore
comprises display control means (28) which control the display, on
the viewing screen (7) of the display device (4), directly of a
previously selected airport map or of information relating to a
previously selected airport map.
28. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said display control
means (28) comprise at least one manual means (30).
29. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said display control
means 128) comprise at least one means (31) automatically
controlling the display when there is a change of display mode of
the display device (4).
30. An aircraft, comprising an airport viewing system (1) as
claimed in claim 16.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an airport viewing system
which is installed in an aircraft, in particular a transport
aircraft.
[0002] Although not exclusively, such an airport viewing system is
more particularly intended for assisting the navigation of an
aircraft on the ground of an airport, in the context of an airport
navigation function. It is known that such an airport navigation
function makes it possible, in particular, to display on a screen
in the cockpit of the aircraft an airport map upon which is
indicated, in particular, the current position of said
aircraft.
[0003] Generally, such an airport viewing system comprises at
least: [0004] a first means for determining the current position of
the aircraft; [0005] a memory for recording at least one airport
map; [0006] a display device which is able to present, on at least
one viewing screen, at least partially an airport map with which
can be associated a symbol illustrating said current position of
the aircraft; and [0007] an interface means allowing an operator to
operate on the display used by said display device.
[0008] Such an airport viewing system has several
disadvantages.
[0009] Firstly, the memory of said system is not capable of
recording all of the maps of the various airports which are likely
to be of interest to the pilot (or more generally to the crew of
the aircraft) during a flight. In fact, it is known that, during a
single flight, the crew is generally called upon to display various
airports and, in particular, the departure airport and the
destination airport and possibly also a diversion airport or any
other airport for which the crew would need to have
information.
[0010] Secondly, the crew must manually select each time, using
said interface means, the map which is appropriate to the current
situation. Such a manual selection represents a large workload
since, depending on the flight phase and in particular during the
approach to a new airport, the crew must select the appropriate
airport map each time. Moreover, as said airport viewing system can
present only one single airport map at a time, when the crew needs
information on an airport other than the one which corresponds to
the current situation and which is displayed, it is obliged to
replace that displayed airport map with the new map in which it is
interested, such that it thus loses the information relating to the
airport associated with the current position of the aircraft.
[0011] The present invention relates to an airport viewing system
which is installed in an aircraft, in particular a transport
aircraft, and which makes it possible to overcome said
disadvantages.
[0012] For this purpose, according to the invention, said system
comprising: [0013] a first means for determining the current
position of the aircraft; [0014] a memory for recording at least
one airport map; [0015] a display device which is able to present,
on at least one viewing screen, at least partially, an airport map
with which can be associated a symbol illustrating said current
position of the aircraft; and [0016] an interface means allowing an
operator to operate on the display used by said display device, is
noteworthy in that it furthermore comprises: [0017] at least one
storage means able to store a plurality of airport maps; [0018] a
second means associated with said storage means and making it
possible to determine a reference point for each airport whose map
is stored in said storage means; and [0019] a selection device
making it possible to select an airport map stored in said storage
means in order to transmit it to said display device so that it can
display it, said selection device comprising at least automatic
selection means making it possible to select automatically an
airport map to be displayed, according to the current position of
the aircraft and at least one airport reference is point.
[0020] Thus, due to the invention, the airport viewing system can
take account (in the storage means) of all of the airport maps that
are available and which could be useful to the crew during a
flight.
[0021] Moreover, said selection device carries out an automatic
selection of the airport most appropriate to the current situation,
as described below. Thus, the crew has, without taking any action,
the availability of the airport map which matches the current
position of the aircraft and therefore the current flight
phase.
[0022] In a particular embodiment, said display device is produced
in such a way as to be able to display a first type of display
mode, in which said symbol illustrating said current position of
the aircraft is fixed on the viewing screen and said airport map is
mobile, and said automatic selection means comprise a first element
which automatically selects an airport map, according to the
current position of the aircraft and at least one coverage volume
which is defined around an airport reference point. More precisely,
said display device is produced in such a way as to be able to
display, as a display mode of the first type: [0023] a mode called
"arc", for which said fixed symbol is situated at the bottom of the
viewing screen and several arcs of circle are centered with respect
to said symbol; or [0024] a mode called "rose", for which said
fixed symbol is situated at the center of the viewing screen and
several circles are centered on that symbol.
[0025] Advantageously, said first element (of said automatic
selection means) is produced in such a way as to optimize said
coverage volume, as a function of the maximum scale of the display
device and of the proximity of the airports. Thus, the system
according to the invention (automatically) selects an airport map,
at the time the latter can be viewed according to the maximum scale
of the display device, whilst avoiding the situations where the
coverage volumes mutually overlap.
[0026] Moreover, in a particular embodiment, said display device is
produced in such a way as to be able to display a display mode of a
second type, called "plan" mode, for which the aircraft map is
fixed on the viewing screen and the symbol illustrating the current
position of the aircraft is mobile, and said automatic selection
means comprise a second element which automatically selects an
airport map, as a function of a current distance between the
current position of the aircraft and an airport reference point;
this current distance being compared with at least one
predetermined distance. In this case, when the aircraft has left an
origin airport, said second element (of said automatic selection
means): [0027] determines the current distance between the current
position of the aircraft and the reference point of said origin
airport; [0028] compares this current distance with a first
predetermined distance; and [0029] automatically selects as an
airport map: [0030] that of the origin airport, as long as said
current distance remains less than or equal to said first distance;
and [0031] that of a destination airport, as soon as said current
distance becomes greater than said first distance.
[0032] Moreover, advantageously, when the aircraft is approaching a
destination airport, said second element (of said automatic
selection means): [0033] determines the current distance between
the current position of the aircraft and the reference point of
said destination airport; [0034] compares this current distance
with a second predetermined distance; and [0035] automatically
selects as an airport map: [0036] that of the airport which is
selected initially, as long as said current distance remains
greater than or equal to said second distance; and [0037] that of
said destination airport, as soon as said current distance becomes
less than said second distance.
[0038] Of course, in order that the pilot may remain in control of
the display and may always impose the display of an airport map of
interest to him, said selection device furthermore comprises manual
selection means allowing an operator to select an airport map
manually.
[0039] Thus, the crew retains the possibility of selecting at any
time the airport map of interest to it. Moreover, the manual
selection carried out by a crew member retains priority. However,
when a crew member selects, using said manual selection means, an
airport which is different from the destination airport which was
selected previously by said automatic selection means, appropriate
means which form part of the system according to the invention are
activated to indicate this selection inconsistency.
[0040] In a particular embodiment, said airport maps are stored in
said storage means according to at least one arranged list, and
said manual selection means comprise at least a first element
allowing an operator, in order to make the selection, to choose one
of said airport maps in said arranged list.
[0041] Moreover, in another embodiment, said airport maps which are
stored in said storage means are respectively associated with
particular descriptive features, and said manual selection means
comprise at least a second element allowing an operator, in order
to make the selection, to enter alphanumeric characters making it
possible to form one of said descriptive features associated with
said airport maps.
[0042] Moreover, advantageously, said manual selection means are
produced in such a way as to remain active when said display device
displays a display mode of a first type (an arc mode or a rose
mode), for which the symbol illustrating said current position of
the aircraft is fixed on the viewing screen and the airport map is
mobile. Thus, the crew retains the ability to consult, in arc mode
or in rose mode, the information on the various available airports,
other than the displayed one, since in these modes the system
displays an airport map depending on the position of the aircraft
with respect to the coverage volume of each airport.
[0043] Moreover, in a particular embodiment, the airport viewing
system according to the invention comprises linking means making it
possible to connect it to a flight management system, preferably of
the FMS ("Flight management System") type, and said manual
selection means comprise at least a third element for selecting and
retrieving data relating to airports from said flight management
system, in order to provide assistance in the selection of airport
maps.
[0044] In the context of the present invention, the selection of an
airport map does not correspond to the display of that airport map
on the display device, but to the transmission of that airport map
to said display device in order that it can display it (immediately
or subsequently) as soon as such a display is required.
[0045] In order to do this, the airport viewing system according to
the invention furthermore comprises display control means which
control the display, on the viewing screen of the display device,
of an airport map which was previously selected (or of information
relating to an airport map which was previously selected).
[0046] Advantageously, said display control means comprise: [0047]
at least one manual means; and/or [0048] at least one means
automatically controlling the display, and doing this at the time
of a change of display mode (arc, rose, plan) of the display
device.
[0049] The single figure of the appended drawing will give a good
understanding of how the invention may be embodied. This single
Figure is the block diagram of an airport viewing system according
to the invention,
[0050] The system 1 according to the invention, and shown as a
block diagram in the figure, is installed in an aircraft, which is
not shown, for example a transport aircraft, and is intended for
viewing at least one part of an airport. Although not exclusively,
such an airport viewing system 1 is more particularly intended for
assisting in the navigation of an aircraft on the ground of an
airport, in the context of an airport navigation function. It is
known that such an airport navigation function makes it possible,
in particular, to display on a screen in the cockpit of the
aircraft an airport map upon which is, in particular, indicated the
current position of said aircraft.
[0051] Said system 1 is of the usual type, comprising: [0052] a
usual means 2, for determining the current geographic position of
the aircraft, in flight or on the ground; [0053] a usual memory 3,
for recording at least one airport map.
[0054] In general this memory 3, which has a limited is capacity,
essentially records the airports involved in the flight in
progress, namely the origin and destination airports in particular;
[0055] a display device 4 which is connected by the intermediary of
links 5 and 6 to said means 2 and to said memory 3, and which is
able to show on at least one viewing screen 7, at least partially,
an airport map and, on that airport map, a symbol illustrating the
aircraft and situated on said aircraft map in accordance with the
actual current position of said aircraft on or with respect to said
airport; and [0056] a usual interface means 8, which is connected
by the intermediary of a link 9 to said display device 4, which
comprises, for example, a keyboard and/or a computer mouse (not
shown) and which allows an operator, in particular a crew member,
to operate on the display used by said display device 4. Using said
interface means 8, an operator can, in particular, modify the scale
of the display, modify the display mode and move the displayed
airport map.
[0057] According to the invention, said system 1 furthermore
comprises: [0058] at least one storage means 10 which is connected
by the intermediary of a link 11 to said display device 4 and which
is able to store a plurality of airport maps. This storage means 10
can, in particular, comprise one or more storage elements which are
integrated in usual systems of the aircraft; [0059] a means 12
associated with said storage means 10 and making it possible to
determine for each airport, whose map is stored in said storages
means 10, a reference point which will be taken into account in the
way described below; and [0060] a selection device 13 which makes
it possible to select an airport map which is stored in said
storage means 10 in order to transmit it to said display device 4
so that it can display it. In the context of the present invention,
the selection of an airport map does not signify the display of
that airport map on the viewings screen 7 but the transmission of
that airport map to said display device 4 in order that it can
display it if such a display is required (subsequently or
simultaneously).
[0061] According to the invention, said selection device 13 at
least comprises automatic selection means 14 which are connected by
a link 15 to said display device 4 and which are produced in such a
way as to select automatically an airport map to be displayed and
to do this according to the current position of the aircraft and to
at least one airport reference point, as described below.
[0062] Thus, due to the invention, the airport viewing system 1 can
take into account (in the storage means 10) all of the airport maps
that are available and which could be useful to the crew during a
flight.
[0063] Moreover, said selection device 13 makes it possible to
carry out (using the means 14) an automatic selection of the
airport that is the most appropriate to the current situation, as
described below. Thus, the crew has the availability, without
taking any action, of the airport map which is matched to the
current position of the aircraft and therefore to the current
flight phase.
[0064] Said display device 4 is produced in such away as to be able
to display a display mode of a first type, for which said symbol
illustrating the current position of the aircraft is fixed on the
viewing screen 7 whilst said airport map is mobile on that viewing
screen 7. More precisely, the display device 4 is produced in such
a way as to be able to display, as a display mode of the first
type: [0065] a mode called "arc", for which said fixed symbol is
situated at the bottom of the viewing screen 7 and several arcs of
circle are centered with respect to said symbol; or [0066] a mode
called "rose", for which said fixed symbol is situated in the
center of the viewing screen 7 and several circles are centered on
that symbol.
[0067] In this case, said automatic selection means 14 comprise an
element 16 which automatically selects an airport map, according to
the current position of the aircraft, and at least one coverage
volume which is defined, in the usual manner, around the
corresponding airport reference point (or Aerodrome Reference
Point).
[0068] Thus, by a comparison between the current position of the
aircraft and the coverage volume which is defined for each airport,
the element 16 determines the airport to be selected. In this way,
as soon as the pilot chooses a display mode which is centered on
the aircraft, that is to say a mode of said first type (arc mode or
rose mode), the map of that airport is automatically selected if
the aircraft is located within the corresponding coverage
volume.
[0069] Moreover, said element 16 (of said automatic selection means
14) is produced in such a way as to optimize said coverage volume,
as a function of the maximum scale of the display device 4 and of
the proximity of the various airports. Thus, the system 1 according
to the invention automatically carries out the selection of an
airport map, at the time when the latter can be viewed according to
the maximum scale of the display device 4, whilst avoiding
situations in which the coverage volumes mutually overlap.
[0070] Moreover, in a particular embodiment, said display device 4
is produced in such a way as to be able to display a display mode
of the second type, the type called "plan", in which the airport
map is fixed on the viewing screen 7 and the symbol illustrating
the current position of the aircraft is mobile on that viewing
screen 7. In plan mode, the display is therefore no longer centered
on the current position of the aircraft such that the pilot can:
[0071] freely move the displayed airport map; [0072] request the
display of another airport map and move it freely in order to
consult the information that it contains.
[0073] According to the invention, in this case, said automatic
selection means 14 comprise an element 17 which automatically
selects an airport map, according to the current distance between
the current position of the aircraft and an airport reference
point, this current distance then being compared with at least one
predetermined distance as described below.
[0074] In this case, when the aircraft has left an origin airport,
said element 17 (of said automatic selection means 14) carries out,
automatically and repetitively, the following sequence of
operations: [0075] it determines the current distance Dc1 between
the current position of the aircraft and the reference point of
said origin airport; [0076] it compares this current distance Dc1
with a predetermined distance D1, for example 50 NM (about 92
kilometers); and [0077] it automatically selects as an airport map:
[0078] that of said origin airport, as long as the current distance
Dc1 remains less than or equal to said distance D1; and [0079] that
of the destination airport, as soon as said current distance Dc1
becomes greater than said distance D1, that is, to say as soon as
the aircraft is sufficiently far from said origin airport.
[0080] Moreover, when the aircraft approaches a destination
airport, said element 17 (of said automatic selection means 14)
carries out, repetitively and automatically, the following sequence
of operations: [0081] it determines the current distance Dc2
between the current position of the aircraft and the reference
point of said destination airport; [0082] it compares this current
distance Dc2 with a predetermined distance D2, for example 50 NM
(about 92 kilometers); and [0083] it automatically selects as the
airport map: [0084] that of the airport which is initially
selected, as long as said current distance Dc2 remains greater than
or equal to said distance D2; and [0085] that of said destination
airport, as soon as said current distance Dc2 becomes less than
said distance Dc2, that is to say as soon as the aircraft is close
to said destination airport.
[0086] The distances D1 and D2 can also be expressed according to
the flight phases of the aircraft.
[0087] In order that the pilot may remain in control of the display
and can always impose the display of an airport map of interest to
him, said selection device 13 of course also comprises manual
selection means 18 allowing an operator to select an airport map
manually.
[0088] Thus, the crew retains the possibility of selecting at any
time the airport map of interest to it, using said manual selection
means 18. Moreover, the manual selection carried out by a crew
member retains priority with respect to an automatic selection
carried out by said automatic selection means 14. However, in the
case of inconsistency between a manual selection carried out using
said manual selection means 18 and an automatic selection carried
out previously by said automatic selection means 14, in particular
during an approach to a destination airport, the system 1 according
to the invention indicates this inconsistency to the crew, using a
warning means 20 which is connected by the intermediary of a link
21 to said display device 4. The indication produced by this
warning means 20 can be a sound indication and/or a visual
indication. This warning means 20 is in particular advantageous
when there appears, during an approach phase, an inconsistency
between an airport currently displayed in plan mode and the
destination airport, because it is generally recommended not to be
in plan mode in the approach phase and, in addition, whilst viewing
an airport that is different from that upon which a landing is
being prepared. The indications provided by the warning means 20
are of course transmitted as soon as an inconsistency is
detected.
[0089] In a particular embodiment, said airport maps are stored in
said storage means 10 according to at least one alphabetically and
numerically arranged list. As a same airport can, in general, be
denoted according to at least three different usual names (complete
name, OACI code, IATA code), said manual selection means 18 have
different classifications in order to carry out the selection from
that list, namely: [0090] classification by the complete name of
the airport; [0091] classification by OACI ("Organisation de
l'Aviation Civile Internationale"--International Civil Aviation
Organisation) code; and [0092] classification by IATA
("International Air Transport Association") code.
[0093] For this purpose, said manual selection means 18 comprise an
element 22 allowing an operator, in particular a crew member, in
order to carry out the selection, to choose one of said airport
maps from said arranged list. The crew of the aircraft therefore
has the possibility at any time of choosing one of said three
classifications which is then displayed on a screen for example.
The element 22, for example a computer mouse, makes it possible to
move in the chosen and displayed classification in order to select
an airport map.
[0094] Moreover, in another embodiment, said airport maps which are
stored in said storage means 10 are respectively associated with
particular descriptive features, and said manual selection means 18
comprise at least one element 23, for example a keyboard, allowing
an operator, in order to carry out the selection, to enter
alphanumeric characters in such a way as to form one of said
descriptive features associated with an airport map.
[0095] Moreover, said manual selection means 18 are produced in
such a way as to remain active when said display device 4 is
displaying a display mode of said first type (an arc mode or a rose
mode), for which the symbol illustrating said current position of
the aircraft is fixed on the viewing screen 7 and the airport map
is mobile. Thus, the crew retains the ability, in arc mode or in
rose mode, to consult the information on the various available
airports, other than the one displayed, since in these modes (arc
or rose) the system 1 displays an airport map depending on the
position of the aircraft with respect to the coverage volume of
each airport.
[0096] This makes it possible to consult the information on
different airports without removing or modifying the map being
viewed. In order to provide a return of consistent information, the
information relating to an airport selected from said list is, for
example, displayed on the viewing screen 7: [0097] in yellow, if
that airport is not the one which is currently being displayed; and
[0098] in green, if that airport is the airport actually being
displayed at the current time.
[0099] Moreover, in a particular embodiment, said airport viewing
system 1 according to the invention furthermore comprises linking
means 26 making it possible to connect it to a flight management
system 25, preferably of the FMS ("Flight Management System") type.
Said flight management system 25 does not contain any airport maps
but contains a database of geographic points, certain of which
represent the positions of airports. When programming the flight
plan, the pilot chooses the geographic points corresponding to the
departure airport and to the destination airport. The system 1
according to the invention retrieves, via the linking means 26,
this information from said flight management system 25. Moreover,
said system 1 comprises an element 27 (forming part of the manual
selection means 18) which provides shortcuts for loading the
corresponding airport maps.
[0100] As mentioned previously, the selection of an airport map
using the selection device 13 does not signify that this airport
map is displayed on the viewing screen 7 but it signifies that this
airport map is transmitted to said display device 4 in order that
it can display it when a corresponding instruction is given to
it.
[0101] Thus, in order to do this, the airport viewing system 1
according to the invention furthermore comprises display control
means 28 which control the display, on the viewing screen 7 of the
display device 4, of an airport map which has previously been
selected (or of information relating to an airport map which has
previously been selected).
[0102] In a particular embodiment, said display control means 28
which are connected by the intermediary of a link 29 to said
display device 4 comprise: [0103] at least one manual means 30, for
example a push-button; and/or [0104] at least one means 31
automatically controlling the display, and doing this preferably
when there is a change of display mode (arc, rose, plan) of the
display device 4.
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